Faculty and Researcher Directory

Jeffrey Levin-Scherz

Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management

Department of Health Policy and Management

Jeff is the Population Health Leader of the North American Health Management practice of Willis Towers Watson, a global human resources consultancy.  In this role, he leads development of intellectual capital and provides consultation to large employers to guide them in making strategic investments in the health and wellness of their employees.  He helps clients evaluate and procure care management programs, develop incentives to improve health and lower health care costs, implement technology to improve care management, and evaluate and act upon provider variation in health care delivery.

He has previously served in leadership roles in health care delivery, including Chief Medical Officer of the network division of Partners HealthCare (now Mass General Brigham) in Boston, the Chief Medical Officer of the multispecialty group Atrius Health and the Chief Medical Officer of One Medical Group, an innovative national technology-enabled primary care practice.  He was also the President of a 400-physician independent practice association.  He served as a Vice President and co-led provider strategy at Tufts Health Plan, and he served as a consultant with Reden and Anders.

Jeff is an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School and an Assistant Professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, where he taught a course on Managed Care Policy Issues since 2003, and has taught Provider Payment in the Masters in Health Care Management Program since 2008.  He graduated from Boston University School of Medicine and completed his residency at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, MA.  He is board certified in Internal Medicine, and a Fellow of the American College of Physicians. He completed his MBA at Columbia University.

 

Publications

  1. Levin-Scherz J, Patrick JD, Weber FH, Garabedian C Acute Arsenic Ingestion Ann Emerg Med 1987, 16 (6) 702-4
  2. Levin-Scherz J. Will disruptive innovations cure health care? Harv Bus Rev. 2001;79(2):150-1.
  3. Schmidt C, Mohr A, Moller J, Levin-Scherz J, HellerM. [Radiology in managed care environment: opportunities for cost savings in an HMO]. Rofo. 2003;175(9):1198-206 (German).
  4. Levin-Scherz J. Disseminating health care innovation. JAMA. 2003;290(11):1454-5.
  5. Levin-Scherz J. Asthma disease management: regression to the mean or better? Am J Manag Care. 2005;11(3):134,136.
  6. Levin-Scherz JK. Disease management will suffer if providers remain on the sidelines. Dis Manag. 2005;8(4):199-204.
  7. de Brantes F, Gosfield AG, McGlynn E, Rosenthal M, Levin-Scherz J. Clinical practice guidelines for older patients with comorbid diseases. JAMA. 2005;294(6):716-24.
  8. Levin-Scherz J, DeVita N, Timbie J. Impact of pay-for-performance contracts and network registry on diabetes and asthma HEDIS(R) measures in an integrated delivery network. Med Care Res Rev. 2006; 63(1):14S-28S.
  9. Levin-Scherz, J. “Collaborating to improve the quality of health care”. Boston Business Journal. 2006 Mar 3;Sect. Editorial (col. 1).
  10. Levin-Scherz, J Levine, H “Ethical guidelines for employee behavior change” Health Aff (Millwood) 28:1554, 2009
  11. Levin-Scherz, J “The Care of The Uninsured in America” JAMA 303: 2414 , 2010 (Book review)
  12. Levin-Scherz, J “Next Medicine: The Science and Civics of Health” JAMA 305: 1244,2011 (Book review)
  13. Levin-Scherz, J “What drives high health care costs and how to fight back” Harv Bus Rev 88:72, 2010
  14. Wrobel, E, Levin-Scherz, J. “US Health Care Reform” Captive Review 2010 (12):44
  15. Zimlichman, E, Levin-Scherz, J “The Coming Age of Disruptive Innovation in Health Care J Gen Intern Med 2013 Jan 18.
  16. Delbanco, S, Najigal, M, Levin-Scherz, J “The Payment Reform Landscape: Maternity Progress and Stagnation” Health Affairs Blog, September 30, 2016
  17. Davenport TO, Levin-Scherz J. Employers Use Stress Diagnostics to Define Strategy and Guide Action. Benefits Q. 2017;33(1):28-32.
  18. Bremen, J, Jesuthasan, R, Levin-Scherz, J “Five Ways COVID-19 Will Forever Change Work” World at Work, May 15, 2020 https://worldatwork.org/workspan/articles/five-ways-covid-19-will-forever-change-work
  19. Levin-Scherz, J and Allen, D “8 Questions Employers Should Ask About Reopening” Harvard Business Review digital publication May 28, 2020 https://hbr.org/2020/05/8-questions-employers-should-ask-about-reopening
  20. Levin-Scherz, J, Noblick, J and Jones, JH, “How behavioral economics can help employers respond to COVID-19” Human Resources Executive, May, 2020 https://hrexecutive.com/how-behavioral-economics-can-help-employers-respond-to-covid-19/
  21. Levin-Scherz, J, Jesuthasan, R, Bremen, J “Should CEOs be in the Office Now?” Chief Executive Magazine, June 18, 2020 https://chiefexecutive.net/should-ceos-be-in-the-office-now/
  22. Levin-Scherz, J and Parson, T “The Paradox of Medical Costs During the Pandemic” Econofact.org, June 30, 2020 https://econofact.org/the-paradox-of-medical-costs-during-the-pandemic
  23. Levin-Scherz, J, Blumenfield, S, Stone, J “7 Ways COVID-19 Will Transform Health Care” CFO.com October 14, 2020 https://www.cfo.com/health-benefits/2020/10/7-ways-covid-19-will-transform-health-care/
  24. Levin-Scherz, J and Stone, J “Charting a New Course: Implications of the Pandemic for Health Plan Sponsors” Benefits Magazine, November 2020 [Link]
  25. Levin-Scherz, J “Strategies to Encourage Employees to Get COVID Vaccines” HR Executive, December 21, 2020 https://hrexecutive.com/3-strategies-for-right-now-to-encourage-employees-to-get-covid-vaccines/
  26. Levin-Scherz, J, Ostrovsky, A, Barkett, J “What Health Reform May Mean For Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance” Chief Executive, February 26, 2021 https://chiefexecutive.net/what-health-reform-may-mean-for-employer-sponsored-health-insurance/
  27. Jones, JH, Levin-Scherz, J, and Noblick, J “How Employers Can Reduce Vaccine Hesitancy” Harvard Business Review March 2, 2021 https://hbr.org/2021/03/how-employers-can-reduce-vaccine-hesitancy
  28. Levin-Scherz, J, Silver, A, and Nordquist, S “Evaluating New Health Plan Designs” CFO.com, March 24, 2021 https://www.cfo.com/health-benefits/2021/03/evaluating-new-health-plan-designs/
  29. Levin-Scherz, J and Chang, C “Offer Time (Not Money) to Encourage COVID Vaccinations” Chiefexecutive.net May 12, 2021 https://chiefexecutive.net/offer-time-not-moneyto-encourage-covid-vaccinations/
  30. Reinberg, J, Xarras, M, Levin-Scherz, J “What HR Can Do to Support ‘Long Haul’ COVID Survivors” HRExecutive.com, May 21, 2021 https://hrexecutive.com/what-hr-can-do-to-support-long-haul-covid-survivors/
  31. Levin-Scherz, J and Jensen, J “Ten Steps for Providers Considering Direct-to-Employer Contracts” Managed Healthcare Executive, June 29, 2021 https://www.managedhealthcareexecutive.com/view/10-steps-for-providers-considering-direct-to-employer-contracts
  32. Levin-Scherz, J and Toro, P “Seven Tips for Returning Employees Safely to the Workplace” Chief Executive.net, July 22, 2021 https://chiefexecutive.net/7-tips-for-returning-employees-safely-to-the-workplace/
  33. Levin-Scherz, J and Shutler, G “Six Steps to Encourage Employees to Use Preventive Care” WillisTowersWatson.com July, 30 2021 https://www.willistowerswatson.com/en-US/Insights/2021/07/6-steps-to-encourage-employees-to-use-preventive-care
  34. Levin-Scherz, J and Toro, P “The Delta Variant: How Companies Should Respond”, Harvard Business Review July 27, 2021 https://hbr.org/2021/07/the-delta-variant-how-companies-should-respond
  35. Blumenfield, S and Levin-Scherz J “Optimize Your Post-Pandemic Digital Health Care Options” Workspan World at Work August 4, 2021 https://worldatwork.org/workspan/articles/optimize-your-post-pandemic-digital-health-care-options
  36. Levin-Scherz, J and Stone J “Employers Should Think Twice About Using Premium Surcharges to Boost Vaccination” ChiefExecutive.net, August 24, 2021 https://chiefexecutive.net/employers-should-think-twice-about-using-premium-surcharges-to-boost-vaccination/
  37. Levin-Scherz, J and Orszag, M “Should Your Company Implement a Vaccine Mandate?” Harvard Business Review, September 9, 2021 https://hbr.org/2021/09/should-your-company-implement-a-vaccine-mandate
  38. Pany, M, Chernew ME, de Brantes, F, Levin-Scherz, JK, Fendrick, AM “Aligning plan design and payment reform to improve quality, enhance equity, and promote value” Signify Health, September, 2021 https://vbidhealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Employer-Whitepaper-092021.pdf
  39. Toro, P, Sell, C and Levin-Scherz, J “Seven Critical Questions to Consider As you Build Your Vaccine Policy” Human Resource Executive, October 19, 2021 https://hrexecutive.com/7-critical-questions-to-consider-as-you-build-your-vaccine-policy/
  40. Levin-Scherz, J “CEOs Should Carefully Evaluate Risks as They Weigh Vaccine Mandates” Chief Executive.net, October 20, 2021 https://chiefexecutive.net/ceos-should-carefully-evaluate-risks-as-they-weigh-vaccine-mandates/
  41. Levin-Scherz, J and Toro, P “The Omicron Variant; How Companies Should Respond” Harvard Business Review, December 3, 2021 https://hbr.org/2021/12/the-omicron-variant-how-companies-should-respond
  42. Levin-Scherz, J “7 ways to improve the effectiveness of vaccine surcharges” Human Resources Executive, January 6, 2022 https://hrexecutive.com/7-ways-to-improve-the-effectiveness-of-your-vaccine-surcharges/
  43. Levin-Scherz, J, Toro, P and Becker, S “Planning to resume business travel? Here’s what you need to know” Chief Executive.net February 16, 2022 https://chiefexecutive.net/planning-to-resume-business-travel-heres-what-you-need-to-know/
  44. Sherman, S, Jones, JH, Levin-Scherz, J “8 ways behavioral economics can drive mental healthcare adoption” Human Resources Executive February 17, 2022 https://hrexecutive.com/8-ways-behavioral-economics-can-drive-mental-healthcare-adoption/
  45. Becker, S, Toro, P, and Levin-Scherz, J “6 considerations to help employers address the rising prevalence of long COVID” Benefits Pro, March 14, 2022 https://www.benefitspro.com/2022/03/14/6-considerations-to-help-employers-address-the-rising-prevalence-of-long-covid/
  46. Levin-Scherz, J and Nyce, Steve “Employers Face a Polarized Workforce as They Address COVID-19 Risks” Willis Towers Watson, March 22, 2022 https://www.wtwco.com/en-US/Insights/2022/03/employers-face-a-polarized-workforce-as-they-address-covid-19-risks
  47. Levin-Scherz, J “8 reasons why health care cost inflation is likely to escalate” The Hill, April 2, 2022 https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/3257431-8-reasons-why-health-care-cost-inflation-is-likely-to-escalate/
  48. Toro, P, Levin-Scherz, J, Bremen JM “Prepare your company for the next COVID wave,” Harvard Business Review May 12, 2022 https://hbr.org/2022/05/prepare-your-company-for-the-next-covid-wave
  49. Levin-Scherz, J, Ostrovsky, A “10 tips for vendors seeking to create or expand digital health and virtual health solutions” StatNews July 20, 2022 https://www.statnews.com/2022/07/20/10-tips-for-vendors-seeking-to-create-or-expand-digital-health-and-virtual-health-solutions/(Note that this article is behind a paywall; you can read with a free trial subscription)
  50. Levin-Scherz, J and McCann, RK “7 questions for employers after “Roe” was overturned” July 21, 2022 WTW https://www.wtwco.com/en-US/Insights/2022/07/7-questions-for-employers-after-roe-was-overturned
  51. Levin-Scherz, J, Toro, P, Becker, S, Alexander M “What Employers Need to Know About Monkeypox” August 18, 2022, Harvard Business Review https://hbr.org/2022/08/what-employers-need-to-know-about-monkeypox

Other Affiliations

Chief Medical Officer, One Medical Group (2012-13) Chief Medical Officer, Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates and Atrius Health (2007-2008), Chief Medical Officer, Partners Community HealthCare, Inc (2004-2007), Associate Clinical Professor, Tufts Medical School (1997-2005)